Making Like New

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Guest

Hello, I am looking at selling my computer and was wondering if anyone could
help me. I would like to completely undo everything on my computer and make
it "like-new" or in other words new as possible. I guess formatting is the
word I'm looking for? I have a new Dell Dimension E310. Any ideas?
 
Tyler said:
Hello, I am looking at selling my computer and was wondering if anyone
could
help me. I would like to completely undo everything on my computer and
make
it "like-new" or in other words new as possible. I guess formatting is
the
word I'm looking for? I have a new Dell Dimension E310. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

your Dell probably came with "recovery disks" , running those will
generally reset the machine back to when you received it from the factory
 
Is it the Dell E310 you want to sell or it an older PC. If it is an older PC
then look for the recovery disk or Windows XP CD that came with it. If you
have any sensitive files on the old PC they need to be securely erased.

JS
 
Tyler said:
Hello, I am looking at selling my computer and was wondering if anyone
could
help me. I would like to completely undo everything on my computer and
make
it "like-new" or in other words new as possible. I guess formatting is
the
word I'm looking for? I have a new Dell Dimension E310. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

How you do this depends on what exactly you got with it, in terms of Windows
install disks. If it's an XP system and you have a full XP install CD
rather than a recovery disk, simply take off all the files you want to
keep, then boot with the XP CD. Run Setup, paying close attention to the
section that allows you to select where to install.

At that point, you'll be able to select and delete the partitions where your
old OS and data were. Do this, then create new one(s). Format and continue
with the re-install.

Removing and re-creating the partition table, and formatting on top of that
goes a very long way, very quickly, towards preventing anyone but the most
determined (and equipped) from ever recovering old data from the drive.

Continue with the install and install all updates, and perhaps a free
anti-virus app like AVG.

If your system came with recovery disks, after dredging off the data you
want, do a 'destructive' restore, the one that removes all old data. Once
it's complete, check that your old data is in fact gone.

HTH
-pk
 
Well, all of you spoke of discs...my computer came with XP installed already
and came with no recovery disks. I can look through my stuff again but I'm
fairly sure it didn't. I bought it straight from Dell online. I'm wanting
to sell the new Dell.
 
Destructive restore....where do I go to do this? I think this is what I'm
wanting to do because my computer didn't come with an XP disk.
 
Tyler said:
Well, all of you spoke of discs...my computer came with XP installed
already
and came with no recovery disks.
Click to expand...

Then there should be a system recovery available when you start the system.
Watch the screen, and check your owner's manual for instructions on
restoring the system. Look for a "restore to factory settings" option or
similar.

I'm not fond of that packaging approach - there are too many situations
where a proper install CD is the only way to fix the system. I never
recommend such systems; I try not to encourage the makers to do this.

HTH
-pk
 
Your recovery options may be limited to a special partition which Dell
creates on PC's these days.
Call Dell support and ask for help.

JS
 
On the "old" computer you are selling and making into a "like new" state
before selling it:

Run a zero-fill utility from DOS such as comes with MaxBlast4 from Maxtor
[free from Maxtor - use the floppy version]. The harddrive will be blanked
to drive factory new (forensic labs aside).

Check with your DELL and/or Windows license. If everything is A-OK for a
go-ahead, partition and format the blank drive and install Windows with
whatever media Dell provided. The license is probably an OEM type. That
means it remains with the original computer. When you sell the computer,
hand over the OEM Windows discs etc. to the person buying from you. All's
square with you.

If perchance the old computer you are selling sports a retail version of
Windows, blank the drive with the zero-fill, partition and format, but do
not install Windows. The license is yours and you can use it on the "new"
computer. If afterall though, you decide to part with the Windows license
and the associated media, only then install it on the "old" computer. If so,
realize it is part of the sale. Realize that such a license is worth one or
two hundred bucks or more. Understand that once sold, you cannot use it on
the "new" computer.
 
Removing and re-creating the partition table, and formatting on top of
that goes a very long way, very quickly, towards preventing anyone
but the most determined (and equipped) from ever recovering old data
from the drive.
Click to expand...

Not true. There are several _relatively_ inexpensive s/w packages that can
retreive data from a drive that has been formatted. Partition tables can be
restored/manually edited/created as well.
Continue with the install and install all updates, and perhaps a free
anti-virus app like AVG.

If your system came with recovery disks, after dredging off the data
you want, do a 'destructive' restore, the one that removes all old
data. Once it's complete, check that your old data is in fact gone.
Click to expand...

Does a destructive restore completely get rid of old data files ?

I highly doubt it. XP comes pre-installed taking up X amount of the hard
drive space. Any of the data files you create are obviously written
elswhere on the drive. (This is all theory by the way, as I've never used a
factory restore disk.) I can see 2 possible ways the restore works. Either
by doing the custom OEM install, or by writing back an image to the HD. I
would assume that if it is an install type, the HD is most likely written
to in the same place/order, using nearly (if not totally) identical
physical location on the HD as when it was first purchased. It's obvious
that an image-type restore would do the same. If the drive was not fully
erased using a utility meant to do that, I would have to assume that the
data files, probably to a fairly good extent, would still be recoverable.

(Reminding everyone this is only an educated guess.)

Regards,

DanS
 
=?Utf-8?B?VHlsZXI=?= said:
Hello, I am looking at selling my computer and was wondering if anyone could
help me. I would like to completely undo everything on my computer and make
it "like-new" or in other words new as possible. I guess formatting is the
word I'm looking for? I have a new Dell Dimension E310. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Then search for a zero fill util and wipe the drive to factory fresh
state.
 
Tyler said:
Hello, I am looking at selling my computer and was wondering if anyone could
help me. I would like to completely undo everything on my computer and make
it "like-new" or in other words new as possible. I guess formatting is the
word I'm looking for? I have a new Dell Dimension E310. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
 
Tyler,
Does the manufacturer of your computer you are selling have system recovery
disks? If you hae OEM Windows XP you should have and can use them to restore
your computer to factory specs.
 
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